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Bodybuilding and Lower Back Pain

Bodybuilding
training can be intense and can sometimes lead to issues such as lower
back pain. There can be several causes of lower back pain -- it may be
due to muscle imbalances, your technique on certain exercises or the way
you train. It's important that you find out the cause, address the
issue and rid yourself of lower back pain, because not doing so could
hamper your training and have a negative impact on your bodybuilding
career.

Technique

One of the main
bodybuilding exercises you're likely to injure your lower back on is the
deadlift. Deadlifting builds strong hamstrings, glutes and a lower back
but also carries a high degree of risk. According to Jim Smith of
Diesel Crew Strength and Conditioning most deadlifting injuries happen
when you initiate the movement with your back, rather than your
hamstrings, or when you allow the bar to drift away from your body.

Tight Muscles

Quite often,
lower back pain can be caused by issues around your hips. If you have
tight gluteals and hamstrings, the range of motion at your pelvis is
limited, meaning that many movements that would usually happen at your
hips actually occur in your lower back. This can place excessive stress
in your spine and lower back muscles, and lead to pain. Make sure you
stretch your glutes and hamstrings after every workout and get a sports
massage when necessary.

Weak Muscles

Having weak
glutes and hamstrings can also place more stress on your lower back, as
can having weak abdominals. Many bodybuilders neglect ab training,
fearing it will make their waists look too thick or believing that it
simply isn't needed, but this is a mistake.
Strength coach Eric Cressey
advises adding core stability exercises to your program to help
strengthen your whole midsection and to prevent back pain. Exercises
such as planks, side bridges, Pallof presses and rollouts are ideal for
this. Do two 10-minute core training sessions each week.

Treatment

If you suffer
from lower back pain that comes on suddenly, use the RICE method. This
stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Hold an ice pack on
your lower back and apply pressure for 20 minutes four to eight times
per day. Once the pain has subsided, visit a doctor or physiotherapist
to have your lower back assessed, then begin training again when you get
approval. When you start back training, incorporate stretching and
glute, hamstring and core training, and check your technique on all of
your exercises to help prevent the pain from reoccurring.